Inspirational stories leading up to Valentine鈥檚 Day are abundant, but few can match how true love has stood the test of time quite like long-time Chemainus couple Ejlif and Anna Mose.
They鈥檒l be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year on June 9.
The date they tied the knot in their native Denmark way back in 1951 just happens to coincide with Ejlif鈥檚 birthday. 鈥淭hat was so he would remember the anniversary,鈥� joked daughter Jane.
Ejlif will turn 93 on June 9 and Anna reaches another milestone later in the year with her 90th birthday on Oct. 8.
So what鈥檚 the secret to their long and endearing relationship?
鈥淲e get along very good,鈥� said Ejlif.
鈥淚 still love him,鈥� added Anna. 鈥淗e bugs me once in a while, but I still love him. In the long run, we鈥檙e getting along just fine 鈥� we must be after that many years. I would have run away a long time ago.鈥�
Ejlif鈥檚 hearing isn鈥檛 quite as good as it used to be. Then, again, that can work out as a convenient excuse if he ever needs one for not following Anna鈥檚 instructions.
The couple has enjoyed a prosperous life mostly in Chemainus with their family.
Oldest sons Harry, now 69 and a former mayor of Port Hardy living in Nanaimo, and Allan, 66, of Campbell River were both born in Denmark before Ejlif and Anna emigrated to Canada in 1958.
Once in Canada, Brian, now 61, of Nanoose Bay and Jane, 56, of Saltair were their additions to the family. The Moses have 13 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and even three great-great grandchildren.
Ejlif and Anna (nee Ohlenschlaeger) were living in Esbjerg, Denmark when they met on March 9, 1950.
鈥淲e just met out of the blue,鈥� recalled Anna.
鈥淚t was about 20 minutes after I came out of the navy,鈥� said Ejlif.
鈥淭hank God he was out of that,鈥� remarked Anna.
Following their early years of married life with the two kids, they thought about relocating.
鈥淥ver there in those days, it was hard to get anything to live in,鈥� said Anna. 鈥淲e always thought we wanted to get out and get somewhere.鈥�
So Canada it was, as good a place as anywhere.
Ejlif made the move over first. 鈥淚 wanted to have a look at it,鈥� he explained.
鈥淚 had Harry and Allan, I came five months later,鈥� noted Anna. 鈥淗arry and Allan were six and three years old.鈥�
It was a long trip, five days on the train from Halifax, before arriving on the west coast.
鈥淲e came to Canada, fell in love with it, Vancouver Island, and we鈥檙e still here,鈥� enthused Ejlif.
There were trying times since they actually had to learn English on the fly.
They settled in Ladysmith first for about a year and then bought a house on Henry Road in Chemainus where they stayed for 10 years before moving to Hawthorne Street for 32 years. They鈥檝e been in their current residence for another 20 years since 2001.
Ejlif spent the bulk of his working days divided between commercial fishing and the graveyard shift at the previous Chemainus sawmill for 25 years until it closed in 1982.
鈥淗e鈥檇 sleep three hours and he鈥檇 be gone again,鈥� said daughter Jane. 鈥淚t was crazy.鈥�
But commercial fishing was in Ejlif鈥檚 blood and he just stepped up that aspect of his life when the mill closed. He bought a bigger boat and fished fulltime after that. With the family all grown up, Anna went out fishing with him for 10 years.
鈥淪adly, he had a heart attack or he would have still been fishing,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 get him away from it.鈥�
鈥淚 survived, but the doctor told me not to go fishing anymore,鈥� noted Ejlif. 鈥淚 sold my boat.鈥�
He鈥檚 otherwise enjoyed good health and so has Anna.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still in fairly good shape, I feel I鈥檓 getting tired now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 like to read, but my sight is not so good.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e had my little problems, but I鈥檓 still here,鈥� she smirked. 鈥淲hen things come up, you have to think you鈥檙e not 25 anymore.鈥�
The couple has been fortunate to travel extensively over the years, with numerous trips back to the old country and Hawaii, in particular.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very lucky and we鈥檙e here and we鈥檙e still together,鈥� added Anna. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what we鈥檙e still thankful for. It is hard to believe we鈥檝e been together that long. Time has just flown. It鈥檚 unreal it鈥檚 been 70 years. It hasn鈥檛 always been peaches and cream. If someone tells me different, they鈥檙e lying.鈥�
As much as their love remains strong after so long, this Valentine鈥檚 Day is also a reminder of how much they love Chemainus and how the town鈥檚 been such an integral part of their lives.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen many countries, but this is special, our town,鈥� said Ejlif. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful place to live. I love it here.
鈥淲e met so many nice people here over the years. I can think only good things.鈥�
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